Dominic Perrottet has become NSW's 46th Premier after Gladys Berejiklian resigned last week facing a corruption investigation.
The Catholic father of six and former Treasurer landed the top job in a Liberal party room meeting on Tuesday morning, reportedly beating Planning Minister Rob Stokes by 39 votes to five.
Ms Berejiklian did not show up for the meeting, with a colleague voting on her behalf.
Former Jobs Minister Stuart Ayres - the boyfriend of Foreign Minister Marise Payne - was elected Deputy Liberal leader unopposed.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet walks through Parliament after becoming NSW Premier
Dominic Perrottet (right with Deputy Stuart Ayres) landed the top job in a Liberal party room meeting on Tuesday morning after Gladys Berejiklian resigned last week facing a corruption investigation
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet leaves his home in Sydney ahead of the party room vote on Tuesday morning
Mr Perrottet is a father of six children with wife Helen. He regularly shares pictures with his family on social media
Liberal party whip Adam Crouch arrives with the ballot box ahead of the party room vote for NSW Premier
Mr Perrottet, who was brought up in West Pennant Hills in north-west Sydney, worked as a corporate lawyer before becoming an MP in 2010 and Treasurer in 2017.
He is a devout Catholic who voted against the decriminalisation of abortion in 2019 and will argue against voluntary assisted dying in an expected vote later this month.
He is also a keen economic reformer who wants to replace stamp duty with a land tax and has touted GST changes which would upset Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan.
Mr Perrottet hails from the right wing of the Liberal Party and in 2016 called Donald Trump's US election win 'a victory for people who have been taken for granted by the elites'.
NSW Minister for Arts Don Harwin (right) arrives at Parliament House in Sydney ahead of the votes
Throughout the Covid pandemic, Mr Perrottet has publicly supported Ms Berejiklian's decisions but has argued for lighter and shorter restrictions.
In July, it was reported that he opposed a lockdown extension and said Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant should take a pay cut if Sydney was shut down unnecessarily- although he said he could not recall making this comment.
In an interview with Daily Mail Australia two weeks ago Mr Perrottet said he expected nightclubs to open at the 80 per cent vaccination rate - but under current plans they are closed until December 1.
He said some hawkish members of the crisis cabinet even wanted them open at the 70 per cent rate.
Rob Stokes and Dom Perrottet enjoy a picnic together, above, earlier this year. The close mates will have to fight it out in the NSW Liberal party room on Tuesday
There are already unconfirmed reports that Mr Perrottet is 'seriously considering' bringing Freedom Day forward from Monday October 11 to Friday October 8.
'The information I've got is he will seriously consider bringing forward Freedom Day for NSW to this Friday,' Nine News political reporter Chris O'Keefe revealed.
'So instead of waiting until Monday 11, pubs will open, you'll be allowed to have people over to your home this Friday.'
Such rescheduling would mean residents could return to pubs, meet in groups of 20 outdoors and have five visitors to their homes in just a few days' time.
Mr Perrottet has previously argued for unvaccinated residents to be granted equal freedoms once everyone has been offered a jab.
'Once every single person in this state has had the opportunity to be vaccinated with two doses then we should open up for everyone,' he said last month.
'I want to see more unity and not have a two-tiered society here.'
Mr Perrottet also wants to restart international travel, with tourists expected to enter Australia next year.
'We're talking about returning international students, we're talking about returning Australians. We're opening up businesses and the next step is opening up borders,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
Mr Perrottet and Mr Stokes (middle and on right) often go jogging together
'If we can lead the way on international travel that's going to be a great thing for the state.
'And hopefully that will then lead to other states following us. It might be ironic that you can get to Bali before you can get to Broome but that's where we're heading.'
Ms Berejiklian quit on
